Complete workflow and interaction reference

retoPoly Modifier Help

A practical guide to installing retoPoly, activating an online license, setting up the modifier, and using the current tools, mouse gestures, viewport aids and keyboard shortcuts.

Native 3ds Max modifier · 2023–2027Online activationContact: ml.tools@outlook.com

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Overview

retoPoly combines projected topology creation, brush-based editing, direct component operations and stack-aware viewport aids in a modifier-owned workflow.

Projected retopology

Assign one or more High Poly sources and create or edit topology directly on their surfaces using the current Offset.

Native undo

Committed geometry operations participate in the normal 3ds Max Undo and Redo workflow.

Context-aware palette

The floating tool palette belongs to the selected retoPoly modifier. It hides when another object, base object or modifier entry becomes active.

Viewport guidance

Tools display live previews, highlighted components and status text near the cursor. Read that text when a gesture changes mode.

Stack-aware editing

Show Cage keeps the authored low-poly topology readable under modifiers such as TurboSmooth, while native Vertex Ticks are enabled automatically whenever retoPoly is the active stack entry.

Installation

Required folder structure

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max <release>\Plugins\ └─ retoPoly_<max-release>.dlm

Close 3ds Max.
Choose the .dlm that matches the installed 3ds Max release.
Open C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max <release>\Plugins\.
Copy only the matching retoPoly .dlm directly into that Plugins folder.
Start 3ds Max. Windows may require administrator permission when copying files into Program Files.
Select a polygon object and confirm that retoPoly is available in the MLtools modifier category.

Updating: close 3ds Max, replace the existing matching .dlm in the Plugins folder, then restart 3ds Max.

Online license

License requests, activation and deactivation are handled online from the License rollout.

Request a license

Add retoPoly to an object and expand the License rollout.
Click Request License. The request form opens in your web browser.
Complete the form with the requested contact and purchase information, including proof of purchase where required.
After approval, the license email and key are sent to the email address used in the request.

Activate retoPoly

Paste the supplied email into Email and the supplied key into Key. The fields support normal editing shortcuts, including Ctrl + V.
Click Activate while the computer has internet access.
Confirm that the Status field reports an active online license.
Open the tool palette, assign a High Poly object and begin working.

Move the license to another computer

On the current computer, enter the same email and key if the fields are empty.
Click Deactivate while connected to the internet.
Install retoPoly on the other computer and activate it with the same credentials.

Keep your credentials exact: copy the email and key directly from the approval message. Leading spaces, missing characters or a different email address can prevent activation.

Quick start

1. Add retoPoly

Select the low-poly or retopology object and apply retoPoly from the MLtools category.

2. Add High Poly sources

Use Add HP... in Parameters and choose one or more reference surfaces. Remove and Clear manage the source list. Tool buttons remain unavailable until a valid High Poly source is assigned.

3. Set Offset

Use a small positive Offset to keep projected points slightly above the reference surface and avoid z-fighting.

4. Select retoPoly in the stack

The floating palette opens automatically when the retoPoly modifier entry is active. Choose a tool and follow the context-aware viewport hint beside the cursor.

Selection scope: the palette and numeric shortcuts belong to retoPoly only while its modifier entry is selected in the Modify panel. Selecting another modifier, the base object, or another object closes the palette automatically and turns the temporary Vertex Ticks display back off.

Parameters and floating UI

Control	What it does
Open retoPoly UI	The floating palette opens automatically while retoPoly is the active modifier entry. This button is a manual show/hide fallback.
High Poly sources	The list contains all projection targets used by projection-aware tools and Live Conform.
Add HP...	Add one or more High Poly source nodes. Existing sources remain in the list.
Remove / Clear	Remove the selected High Poly source or clear the complete source list.
Live Conform	Immediately conforms the authored retopology to the High Poly source set and continues conforming later tool edits while enabled.
Offset	Offsets projected results from the High Poly surface. It is used by projection-aware creation, editing and conform operations.
Auto Weld	Allows eligible vertices created or moved by the active operation to weld to nearby valid targets.
Auto Weld threshold	Maximum weld distance. Keep the value conservative to avoid collapsing intended small details.
Show Cage	Displays the authored retoPoly control topology while upper stack results such as TurboSmooth are visible through Show End Result.
Cage color	Click the color swatch beside Show Cage to choose the cage line color. The color is stored with the modifier.
Inspect Topology	Opens the Topology Inspector. It reports live vertices/edges/faces, isolated vertices, loose and boundary edges, degenerate faces, quads, triangles and N-gons. Show highlights triangles/N-gons; Cleanup removes orphan vertices and loose edges; Repair also removes degenerate faces and rebuilds adjacency.
Move to 0: X / Y / Z	Moves the current selected vertices, or the endpoints of the current edge selection, onto the true world-space X=0, Y=0 or Z=0 plane. Object transforms and object offsets are respected, so Reset XForm/collapse is not required. Live Conform is bypassed for this command so the selected axis remains exactly zero.
Vertex Ticks	While retoPoly is selected in the modifier stack, retoPoly turns on 3ds Max's native Object Properties > Vertex Ticks display for the edited node. It is turned off again when you leave the retoPoly stack entry.
Shortcuts List	Opens the built-in searchable mouse/keyboard reference. The window remembers its last screen position and size independently from the main retoPoly palette.

Transform settings persist: Transform radius and strength, Relax radius and strength, and Conform radius remain available after later strokes and after re-entering the tool.

TurboSmooth workflow: enable Show End Result in 3ds Max and Show Cage in retoPoly to edit the original topology while seeing the subdivided result. The cage color is user configurable, and native vertex ticks stay visible while retoPoly is the active stack entry.

Symmetry workflow: Move to 0: X/Y/Z targets the real world zero plane. This is intended for symmetry seams on transformed or offset objects without requiring Reset XForm.

Topology safety: several tools reject frozen faces, branching chains, invalid rings or disconnected borders instead of committing damaged topology.

Keyboard shortcuts

The number keys toggle the most frequently used tools. Pressing the key of an active tool stops it. The built-in Shortcuts List and the viewport cursor hints use the same current interaction mapping documented below.

Key	Action
1	Activate or toggle Edit Flow.
2	Activate or toggle Fast Loop.
3	Activate or toggle Cut.
4	Activate or toggle Relax.
5	Activate or toggle Transform.

Scope: these keys are owned by retoPoly only while retoPoly is the selected modifier in the Modify panel and a High Poly is assigned. Outside that context, 3ds Max returns the keys to the active object or modifier.

Customize: the assignments can be changed in Customize > Hotkey Editor or the available keyboard customization interface under the retoPoly action group.

Mouse notation

LMB is the left mouse button, RMB is the right mouse button, and double-click means two rapid left clicks. Hold modifier keys before pressing LMB and keep them held during the gesture.

Contour

Draws surface-following contour rings and creates a projected quad band between consecutive rings. It can also continue from an existing open retopology border.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Draw the first or next contour ring stroke.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Adjust ring segment count.
`LMB` drag on a pending band	Adjust bridge segment count.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Twist / rotate the current ring.
`Shift` + `LMB` click or drag	Restore / keep the current ring straight and parallel.
`Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Move / slide the current ring preview.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB`	Load the open retopo border under the cursor and continue from it.
`RMB`	Commit the pending band and continue. With no pending band, exit.

Workflow: the first stroke stores a guide ring; the second stroke creates the band. Adjust the preview before committing.

Bridge

Builds a projected quad bridge between two open border chains or loops.

Input	Action
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Paint edges into Loop A.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Paint edges into Loop B.
`Shift` + double `LMB`	Load the full open border into Loop A.
`Ctrl` + double `LMB`	Load the full open border into Loop B.
`Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Remove edges from Loop A.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Remove edges from Loop B.
`LMB` drag after A + B are valid	Adjust bridge segment count.
`Alt` + `RMB`	Clear the current bridge preview without exiting.
`RMB`	Commit the bridge and continue. With no preview, exit.

Alignment: the tool normalizes loop direction and starting alignment before generating the rows.

Fill Hole

Caps an open border with a projected quad grid. It can also delete painted faces and immediately rebuild a cap for the resulting opening.

Input	Action
`LMB` click	Create a cap preview for the hovered open border.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Adjust cap subdivision pairing.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Rotate cap alignment around the border.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Paint faces to delete; release deletes them and refreshes the cap preview.
`Alt` + `RMB`	Delete the current cap preview.
`RMB`	Commit the cap and continue. With no preview, exit.

Tip: use rotation when the boundary connections are correct but the grid direction needs to change.

Stripe

Draws a multi-row quad strip with editable knots, subdivisions, width and end taper.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Draw a stripe. Drag a visible knot to move it.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Paint the open border edges used as the welded stripe start. This does not change brush radius.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Adjust stripe knot count.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust stripe length subdivisions.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB` drag	Adjust stripe width segments.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust brush radius / stripe half-width.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag on first / last knot	Taper the corresponding stripe end.
`RMB`	Commit the stripe. If only a start border is selected, first RMB clears that selection.

Stripe width and guide display: the generated stripe extends one brush radius to each side of the drive, so its total width matches the visible brush diameter. The temporary stroke you draw is white, the editable drive is green, and knot markers are rendered over the preview mesh so they remain visible. Shift + LMB border selection never changes brush radius; only Ctrl + Shift + Alt + LMB drag changes it.

Patch

Creates a projected grid patch from two drawn guides, optional border chains, or a corner-patch configuration with two editable curved guides.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Draw guide A or B. Drag a visible guide knot to move it.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Paint border A.
`Shift` + double `LMB`	Load the full open border as border A.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag on a guide knot	Adjust patch knot count.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag on border edges	Paint border B.
`Ctrl` + double `LMB`	Load the full open border as border B.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB` drag	Paint border B.
`Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Create / move the corner patch handle.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust patch length segments.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust patch width segments.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust patch brush radius.
`RMB`	Commit the patch and continue. With no preview, exit.

Selection behavior: manual border painting follows smooth connected border runs. Use the explicit double-click gestures when the entire loop is required.

Draw

Draws projected quad rows from an open border and also supports reusable open/closed guides, perpendicular Ctrl extrusion strokes, guide segmentation and hole-border guides.

Draw guide and row extrusion workflow. — Guide-based Draw workflow and multi-row extrusion.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Draw a retopology row from the detected open border; release commits it. The yellow/amber border preview shows the exact existing boundary span being used.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag (no guide)	Draw an open or closed temporary guide. A fresh open guide starts with one segment and no internal subdivisions.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag (guide exists)	Draw a short stroke perpendicular to the guide to set the next row height and direction. Release extrudes one row, and that new row becomes the guide for stroke 3, 4 and later rows.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust free-guide segmentation horizontally, Bridge-style. Dragging changes the number of guide segments interactively.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB`	Pick a closed hole border, using its real boundary vertices as the current closed guide.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag after hole pick	Drag inward or outward across the hole border to set ring height. Release creates a connected quad ring and advances the guide to the new ring.
`LMB` drag after a guide	Draw one row from the current guide and consume the guide after commit.
Hold `Shift` while releasing `LMB`	Weld row caps / ends when a valid nearby target is available.
`Ctrl` + `Z` after a guided row	The first Undo removes the created row and restores its guide; a second Undo removes the guide itself.
`RMB`	Exit the tool.

Border detection: the green line is your stroke; the yellow/amber line is the existing border span that Draw has actually detected and will use to build the row. Start the stroke near the desired border and use the preview to confirm the span before release.

Ctrl guide workflow: Ctrl stroke 1 defines the guide. Each later Ctrl stroke is a short perpendicular height/direction stroke that extrudes one additional row. Closed guides create closed rings automatically; the later Ctrl strokes do not need to be closed loops.

Hole workflow: Ctrl+Shift picks the complete closed hole boundary as a guide. Then use short Ctrl strokes inward/outward to build one connected quad ring at a time.

Pen

Draws connected boundaries to create a live quad patch preview. Four sides define the patch, and an existing open border can automatically provide the final side.

Drawing a quad patch with the Pen tool. — Drawing and adjusting a quad patch with the Pen tool.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Draw the next connected boundary. Four drawn sides create the live quad patch preview.
After side 3	If the start of side 1 and end of side 3 are close to vertices on the same open border, that border becomes side 4 automatically.
`LMB` drag near an orange preview boundary	Redraw that free boundary. An existing-mesh side 4 is locked.
`Ctrl` + `Z`	Undo the last completed Pen stroke or redraw.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust height segments. This is locked when height follows an existing border.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust width segments.
`RMB`	Commit a valid preview and remain in Pen. With no preview, exit.

Transform

A projected soft brush with four interaction modes: Move, Rotate, Scale and Relax. All modes operate on retopology vertices around the brush footprint.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Move: move retopology vertices under the brush while projecting to the High Poly.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Rotate: rotate affected vertices around the brush normal on the surface.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Scale: scale affected vertices in the brush tangent plane.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Relax: relax vertices under the brush while following the cursor.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Transform strength.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Transform brush radius.
`RMB`	Commit the current stroke and exit.

Auto Weld: when enabled, only vertices actively moved by the current Transform gesture become weld sources.

Relax

Smooths vertex spacing under a soft brush, with modes for selections, borders, projection, radius and strength.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Relax vertices under the brush.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Relax selected vertices only.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Relax while including border vertices.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Slide open or smoothing-group borders along their boundary.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB` drag	Project the affected area back to the high poly.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Relax strength.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Relax brush radius.
`RMB`	Commit the current stroke and exit.

Flow

Rebuilds the quad region touched by a brush stroke as a projected rail grid aligned to the stroke.

Input	Action
`LMB` stroke	Draw the flow stroke. Releasing LMB commits the rebuilt flow grid and exits.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Flow radius / generated stripe width.
`RMB`	Cancel and exit.

Tip: Flow works best on a clean connected quad island. Redraw the stroke or adjust radius when no preview appears.

Edit Flow

A multi-purpose topology editor for precise edge/face selection, open-border extension, bridging, connect/inset/circle operations, vertex movement, edge collapse and clean removal.

Edit Flow selection and topology editing workflow.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag from an open edge	Extend the selected / connected open edge chain with quads.
Hold `Shift` during open-edge extend	Proximity-weld newly created vertices to nearby border vertices when the extend is committed.
`LMB` drag from an open vertex	Create a new face from that border vertex / corner.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Paint edges into the current selection. The paint follows the actual mouse stroke instead of auto-completing the complete border.
`Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Remove edges and faces from the current selection.
`Shift` + `LMB` click on vertices	Connect vertices inside the same polygon and continue the connect chain.
Double `LMB` on an edge	Replace the edge selection with that edge loop / border loop.
`Shift` + double `LMB` on an edge	Add that edge loop / border loop to the selection.
`Shift` + `Alt` + double `LMB` on an edge	Remove that edge loop / border loop from the selection.
`Ctrl` + `LMB`	Remove the hovered vertex first; otherwise clean-remove edge(s), otherwise delete the face body.
`Ctrl` + double `LMB` on an edge	Clean-remove the entire hovered / selected edge loop.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + double `LMB` on a selected quad face	Circle: circularize the boundary loop(s) of the selected quad region.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB` drag from an open edge	Bridge the source open edge to another open edge.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `LMB` drag elsewhere	Paint faces into the face selection.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + double `LMB` on a face	Select the connected quad face loop.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag with selected faces	Inset the current face selection.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag without selected faces	Connect crossed edges through the quad strip.
`Ctrl` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Paint independent edges and collapse them to their midpoints on release.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Move any unfrozen retopology vertex over the High Poly surface.
Click on High Poly / empty retopo area	Clear the current component selection.
`RMB`	Commit any active drag and exit.

New-face feedback: quads created by Edit Flow Extend are highlighted in blue after commit. The highlight is visual only; it does not silently turn the new faces into the functional face selection.

Collapse safety: a Collapse Edges stroke accepts independent edges only; two marked edges cannot share the same vertex. This prevents small quads from pulling adjacent perpendicular edges into the same collapse.

Frozen geometry: a vertex that belongs to any Frozen Face is locked against Edit Flow movement, including vertices on the boundary between frozen and unfrozen faces. Destructive operations that would cross protected topology are rejected.

Straighten

Straightens one or more selected, non-branching edge chains to a screen-drawn guide while preserving projection to the High Poly.

Input	Action
`LMB` click on an edge	Seed the explicit straighten edge selection when it is empty.
`Shift` + `LMB` drag	Add edges to the explicit straighten selection.
`Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Remove edges from the explicit straighten selection.
Double `LMB` on an edge	Replace the selection with that edge loop / border loop.
`Shift` + double `LMB`	Add that edge loop / border loop.
`Shift` + `Alt` + double `LMB`	Remove that edge loop / border loop.
`LMB` drag with a selected chain	Draw the guide and slide selected vertices onto it.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag with a selected chain	Straighten along the guide while preserving original edge lengths.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag with a selected chain	Keep endpoints fixed and redistribute interior vertices.
`RMB`	Cancel the unfinished guide, clear the temporary selection, and exit.

Guide accuracy: the default edge-slide mode keeps the released chain visually aligned to the screen guide, including on curved reference surfaces.

Edge Length

Stores one reference edge length and paints that length onto other edges under a brush.

Input	Action
`Ctrl` + `LMB`	Store the length of the yellow highlighted edge.
`LMB` drag	Apply the stored length to the yellow highlighted edge / stroke.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust the Edge Length brush radius.
`RMB`	Commit the current edit and exit.

Projection: resized endpoints can be projected back to the High Poly after the stored length is applied.

Conform

Projects retopology vertices under the brush directly onto the High Poly using the current Offset.

Projecting vertices back to the High Poly.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Project retopo vertices under the brush to the high poly using the current Offset.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Conform brush radius.
`RMB`	Commit the current stroke and exit.

Use case: restore surface contact after manual edits or topology operations that leave vertices away from the reference.

Cut

Cuts between endpoints in unfrozen topology. The last created point becomes the start of the next cut, enabling continuous cutting.

Input	Action
`LMB` click two endpoints	Cut between endpoints. With path cutting enabled the cut may cross multiple polygons; the last result continues the chain.
`Shift` + `LMB`	Snap the endpoint to the nearest vertex of the hovered polygon.
`Ctrl` + `LMB`	Snap the endpoint to the nearest edge of the hovered polygon.
`Alt` + `LMB`	Remove the hovered internal edge.
`RMB`	Clear the first endpoint. RMB again exits when no endpoint is active.

Endpoint rule: begin from a vertex or edge. A cut cannot begin with two interior points, and an existing direct connection is rejected.

Fast Loop

Inserts an edge loop across a connected strip of unfrozen quad faces, supports optional ring limits, and can remove an existing continuous loop.

Input	Action
Hover a quad edge	Preview the connected edge ring.
`LMB` drag	Set the new loop position; release commits the loop.
`Shift` + `LMB` on ring edges	Set the first and second optional limits.
`Alt` + `LMB` on an edge loop	Remove that continuous interior edge loop.
`RMB`	Clear active limits. RMB again exits when no limits are set.

Removal safety: border loops and loops touching frozen faces are not removed.

Guide Flow

Deforms nearby interior retopology vertices along a drawn guide while keeping open border vertices fixed.

Deforming nearby topology along a drawn guide.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Draw a guide, deform nearby topology, conform moved vertices, and keep open borders fixed.
Release `LMB`	Commit the guide stroke and remain in the tool for another stroke.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Guide Flow radius.
`RMB`	Cancel the current action and exit.

Boundary behavior: open borders are intentionally excluded so the guide reshapes the interior without moving the silhouette border.

Mask

Paints protected Frozen Faces directly on the retopology mesh. Frozen faces are displayed in light blue and are ignored by destructive topology operations that support Frozen Faces.

Input	Action
`LMB` drag	Freeze faces detected by the brush.
`Ctrl` + `LMB` drag	Continue and grow the connected frozen region under the brush. Begin the stroke on an already frozen face.
`Alt` + `LMB` drag	Unfreeze faces detected by the brush.
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Alt` + `LMB` drag	Adjust Mask brush radius.
`RMB`	Commit the current stroke and exit.

Frozen Faces: frozen regions are shown with a persistent light-blue viewport overlay (#8CCFFF). The brush also previews the next affected faces while painting.

Connected continuation: Ctrl continues the frozen island touched at the start of the stroke instead of jumping across disconnected regions inside the brush footprint.

Workflow notes

Auto Weld is operation-scoped

Only vertices created or moved by the current operation are considered sources. Existing untouched vertices remain stationary and are not globally collapsed.

Selection and preview colors

Open or selected borders are emphasized in orange. Draw shows its detected source border in yellow/amber, generated Edit Flow faces receive a blue post-commit highlight, Frozen Faces use a persistent light-blue overlay, and Show Cage uses the user-selected cage color.

Authored polygon structure

The modifier reconstructs polygon topology from the input and hides invisible triangulation diagonals, preserving authored quads and n-gons for editing.

Commit and exit

Preview tools commonly use RMB to commit, clear or exit depending on state. Brush tools normally commit the active stroke and exit on RMB. Use the live cursor hint for the exact current action.

World-space symmetry planes

Move to 0: X/Y/Z clamps the selected components to the real world zero plane even when the node is translated, rotated, scaled or has an object offset. No Reset XForm is required.

Subdivision stack visibility

Use Show Cage together with 3ds Max Show End Result to read the authored topology under TurboSmooth or another upper modifier. Vertex Ticks are enabled automatically while retoPoly is selected.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
retoPoly is not listed	Confirm that the matching `.dlm` is copied directly into `C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max <release>\Plugins\`, then restart 3ds Max.
The palette does not appear	Confirm that the `.dlm` matches the running 3ds Max release and that the retoPoly modifier entry itself is selected in the Modify panel. The palette should open automatically; Open retoPoly UI remains a manual fallback. After replacing a plug-in build, restart 3ds Max.
Tool buttons are disabled	Add at least one valid High Poly source with Add HP....
The palette disappears	This is expected when retoPoly is no longer the active modifier entry. Select retoPoly in the stack again and the palette opens automatically.
Activation fails	Check internet access, copy the exact approved email and key, remove leading or trailing spaces, and try Activate again.
Request License does not open	Check the default web browser and security software, then use the support email shown at the top of this page.
Number keys do not activate tools	Confirm that retoPoly is the selected modifier and at least one High Poly source is assigned. Check the retoPoly action group in keyboard customization.
A topology operation is rejected	Check for Frozen Faces, branching edge selections, disconnected borders, non-quad rings or invalid endpoint combinations. Use Mask with `Alt` + `LMB` to unfreeze a protected region.
Auto Weld changes too much	Lower the threshold. The operation is scoped, but a large threshold can still merge newly created or actively moved vertices into nearby valid targets.
TurboSmooth hides the original topology	Enable Show End Result in 3ds Max and Show Cage in retoPoly. Pick a contrasting cage color from the swatch if needed.
Vertex dots disappear after leaving retoPoly	This is expected. retoPoly temporarily enables the node's native Vertex Ticks display only while the retoPoly modifier entry itself is selected.
Move to 0 does not use the local pivot plane	By design, X/Y/Z target the true world-space zero planes. This keeps symmetry seams correct without Reset XForm.
Draw extends from the wrong border span	Watch the yellow/amber border preview before release; it shows the exact existing boundary span Draw has detected. Start closer to the intended open border and shorten/reposition the stroke if the preview is wrong.